You Can't Lose Your Reflection
by Hopeful Writer
Summary: Fred has a secret and he's not sure how to tell George.


Disclaimer: It's all JKR's. I just like to play with it.

A/N – I truly wonder how long this story has been written. I was going through some old documents of mine, and I found this. It's another one of those Fred and George stories where they're thinking about being twins. Well, sort of at least. This is from Fred's point of view. He has some news and he's wondering how he'll ever tell his twin brother.

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You Can't Lose Your Reflection

By: Hopeful Writer

You know, the first question I ever asked was, "Why does George look just like me, and Percy doesn't?"

It was funny actually. Mum didn't have a good answer, didn't really have an answer at all. I've grown up a lot since then, but I always did wonder why George looked just like me. Sure, I knew the nitty-gritty details. I think I always did because I lived through them. Or maybe not. But I always wondered why. I mean, I'm not overly religious, not really religious at all, not like some people, but why did God (or Gods or whatever) pick me and George and not anyone else in our family?

The first word I said was George. Not Mum, not Daddy, not Bill or Charlie or Percy. Not even Fred. George said Fred first. I said George.

Mum never tested to see if me and George were identical. She didn't have to. She told me I came out holding onto George's heel. She really meant it too. That's how she knows we're identical and how we'll always be as close as can be.

I don't think we've ever fought. Maybe once, but it wasn't a big deal. Ron always jokes about how, if we ever had a fight, the world would collapse. Then Hermione moans about how exams would be canceled.

Ron and Hermione are going out now. It's pretty amusing sometimes. No one really expected the little git to get her, even though he'd been lusting over her since fourth year. Of course, they're only fifth years now. But it was a shock when they announced that they were dating at the start of the term. But Ginny surprised us more.

She had been quite taken by Harry Potter for years. We all knew that, so when she told us she had a boyfriend, we automatically assumed Potter had finally woken up. But it was Gin who had woken up. She realized that he didn't like her like she liked him, so she moved on. Pretty smart of her to figure it out by herself, but George and I figure that Hermione helped.

I suppose you're wondering who she's going out with. Well, it's a big secret from Mum and Dad, 'cause he's four years older than her. They wouldn't like that so much. But I think it's hilarious. Especially since he's a good friend of mine. Lee Jordan. Funny, huh? All right, well, I think so.

Hermione says it's cute. I wouldn't know, but I'll take her word for it. Privately, George and I stick it to Lee. George resorted to calling him a sex addict. Of course, I called him a male whore once. Katie and Alicia were there when I said it. They were in stitches for weeks. But Lee's all right with it. Usually he's really calm. He only gives us one good punch each before letting us alone. He's got a mean left hook.

I got off, but I was talking about George and me. Yeah, I remember. We never fight. But we do like to make trouble, especially for the teachers. I mean, there's no fun in life if you can't make someone else miserable.

We've been pulling pranks on the teachers at Hogwarts since we were eleven. It's hard to believe that we're leaving in two days. Our school life will be over. As in, we have to make a name for ourselves, become something, like Bill and Charlie and Percy.

Don't tell George, but I owled Charlie the other day. I was asking him about what I should do after Hogwarts. I still want to do that joke shop with George, but it's not going too well. Mum doesn't like the idea and there aren't really a lot of people who would buy our stuff. They're too dangerous. Most parents won't let their kids get this stuff, and a lot of kids are goody-goodies and won't do it without permission. It sucks, but there's nothing we can do to change it. They are really dangerous though. Only some of them.

Anyway, Charlie owled me back yesterday. He said I should seriously consider a job as an Auror. I thought about it for a long time and I finally decided that it seemed all right. I'd rather like to be a spy. Voldemort's still around (everyone's on edge, especially Dumbledore and Snape. Harry seems to be taking it best out of everyone. Steely resolve, that boy), and I think I could get into his front line, like Snape does. I know Snape's a spy; not many other people do. But George isn't going to like it.

See, George doesn't know that I want to do something besides the joke shop. I think it'll be only the second time we really disagreed, save birthday dinners. But I don't want him to get mad. That really deep bond that we've got... I don't want to lose it. And I'm afraid I'm going to if I tell him I want to be an Auror. I don't know what to do.

I talked to Hermione yesterday. She's supposed to be the really smart one. She told me to just tell him. But I can't do that. Shows how smart she is.

I love my brother more than anything else, and I know I can't keep secrets from him. I don't do it unless I have to. The only time I ever did was when I broke his crystal Chudley Cannon pendulum when we were thirteen. I didn't tell him for the whole summer, and when I did, he was furious. He didn't get to mad at me, but I know he would have if I hadn't been his twin brother.

I sigh, knowing I have to tell George about my plans. He's in the common room, telling Alicia a joke while proceeding to beat Harry at Exploding Snap. Not that Harry's any good, but we attribute that to his lack of experience.

When the game is over, I pull George aside. "Can we talk?" I ask, my voice rich with seriousness.

George looks surprised, and I don't blame him. I'm not usually serious. That's his department. "Sure. Did you forget to take your medication this morning?" He sounds serious, but I know he's just kidding around.

"George," I admonish. He smiles faintly, but it fades when I don't echo it. "I... I owled Charlie the other day and he thinks I should be an Auror," I blurt. There. It's out.

George is silent for a moment, thinking it over. "Do you want to?" he finally replies. I nod mutely. "Well, then, you better hope your grades are good enough."

I stare at him, unable to comprehend the words. "But... but what about the joke shop?" I stammer, wishing I hadn't asked, but knowing I had too.

George frowns. "There's no point in denying it. It's not working out well. Nobody wants to buy our products except Ron and Ginny, and those are to use on each other. It's about time we came up with another idea."

"What about you, George?"

He looks deep in thought, and I wait silently for his answer. "I think I'd like to try that professional Quidditch stuff. It might prove... interesting. If all else fails, I'll head to Romania and work with Charlie, but I'd rather not abuse the brotherly relationship if I don't have to. Who knows? You may see me as the next Beater for the Chudley Cannons." He beams a grin at me.

I'm happy for my brother, but that means we're going to be separated for the first time in our lives. He knows it too, and he gives me a hug, something he hasn't done since our first year at Hogwarts. Excluding the time Angelina dumped me and I was crushed. "Don't worry, Fred. We'll still see each other. All the time."

I smile into his shoulder. "George, you're my best friend and my brother. There are some things you just don't lose, and you're one of them. Besides, you can't lose your reflection." He laughs in my ear.

There's a cough and we pull apart. "It's not your way to be sappy," Ron jokes, smirking affectionately at us.

"Shut up, Ronniekins," we joke together. He laughs.

"Come on, Tweedledum and Tweedledummer. There's a common room full of admirers waiting for your presence." He winks at us, mostly at George (because George is going out with Alicia). We grin toothily and George takes off towards the common room, in a dead run. That just makes me and Ron laugh harder.

We follow slowly and I sling an arm over his shoulder. For once, he doesn't pull away. He's a good kid, even when he's being a dumb git. "Hey, Ron?"

He looks up at me, puzzled. "Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Now he looks even more confused. "For what?"

"For being a damn good little brother."

He smiles and I realize he has the same smile and George and me. We get back to the common room, and he pulls away, but not before whispering, "You're a damn fine older brother too, Fred. But don't tell anyone, okay?"

I ruffle his hair and let him go back to Hermione. I'm a little confused as to what made me do that, but Ron didn't seem to mind so much. I throw myself onto a couch and watch the action, quietly, just thinking. And, for once, no one seems to think it's weird.

A/N – I'm still trying to figure out how this never got posted. I guess I must have gotten kicked off the computer or something. Please review. Bye!

--HW

"Unity to be real must stand the severest strain without breaking." --Mahatma Gandhi 


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